


i don't want to run ( just overwhelm me )

by felicitysmoakapologist



Category: The Adventures of Sharkboy and Lavagirl in 3-D (2005), We Can Be Heroes (2020)
Genre: Don't Examine This Too Closely, F/F, F/M, Found Family, Gen, I'm Not Ashamed, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, M/M, Past Abuse, Single Parents, Superpowers, This is more serious than first intended???, We Can Be Heroes - Freeform, We Can be Heroes was good u guys are just mean
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-16
Updated: 2021-01-16
Packaged: 2021-03-14 01:49:41
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,487
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28788249
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/felicitysmoakapologist/pseuds/felicitysmoakapologist
Summary: When single mother Olivia Dare and her special son show up at Heroics Headquarters in the middle of the night exhausted and in need of help, Marcus Moreno can't turn either of them away. The Heroes & The Children both get more than they bargained for, when Olivia & her son's past starts to interfere with their new life & with the feelings certain Heroes can't seem avoid - no matter how hard he tries.
Relationships: Lavagirl/Sharkboy (The Adventures of Sharkboy and Lavagirl in 3-D), Marcus Moreno & Missy Moreno, Marcus Moreno/Original Female Character, Miracle Guy/Tech-No (background)
Comments: 3
Kudos: 17





	i don't want to run ( just overwhelm me )

“Mr. Moreno?” Marcus shoots awake at the sound of George, the security guard’s voice over the intercom. He wipes his mouth, pushing his glasses up his nose before scrambling for the phone. 

“Yes? Hello?”   
“Mr. Moreno, uh - there is a woman here. She-she has a child with her and insists she has to see you.”

“O-kay. Uhm-what time is it?”

“It’s midnight, sir.” He says, and Marcus sighs, closing his eyes. It’s not unusual for him to be found at Headquarters past midnight, but the amount of times it happens has diminished lately. After the ‘invasion’ the amount of paperwork left behind by Ms. Grenada had been astonishing but with his renewed dedication to the team and especially to Missy it had been steadily growing. So, whenever Missy was at his mom’s he’d stay late and try to catch up. Failing, miserably.

“Ok. Send her in.” Marcus hangs up the phone, fingers moving to fix his tie before he starts straightening the papers on his desk. Slapping his cheeks a few times he curses, he could’ve been home already and not already feeling the twinge in his back from sleeping slumped over his desk. He’s still stretching, going over every possible explanation for someone to bring her child to Heroic Headquarters so late. Had she tried contacting them during normal business hours? He doesn't have to wonder for long before security is ushering in a disheveled woman, a sleeping child on her shoulder that can’t be older than five or six. He stands as they escort her in and he’s immediately struck by the desperate look in her brown eyes. 

“You’ll be ok, Mr. Moreno?” George asks and Marcus shakes his head, without taking his eyes off of the woman, who seemingly shrinks as the doors close. 

“Hi, Mr. Moreno. I’m so so sorry to intrude so late, I had hoped to be here much earlier but we got … delayed on the highway and - I know this is strange.”

“Do - do you want to lay him down on the couch? Your arms have to be tired if you carried him from the parking lot.” Marcus says softly, motioning towards the couch and watches as the woman’s arms tighten around the boy before she turns to the couch, like she’s noticing it for the first time. She nods, almost robotically, her fingers running calmingly through the child’s hair as she lowers him down onto the couch. He moves around his desk as she does, pulling out one of the chairs for her, before he leans against his desk. “How can I help you?”

“Sorry, I’m Olivia. Olivia Dare. That’s my son, Mateo. I - really am sorry for barging in like this but it honestly may be the first good thing to happen to me today. Maybe, this whole month.” She chuckles, but there are tears in her eyes as she looks up at him. “My son is - special. Like you! Uhm - he has powers and he doesn’t have anyone to help him. He’s just getting stronger I think and he can’t control them and I don't know what to do because I don’t have powers. I’m no one. I’m not … anything. His dad had the powers but he’s … listen, I know this is a lot and i’m not even sure if you guys do this but I'm his mom and I'm supposed to be able to help him and I can’t. So, I don’t have a home or a job or know anyone here but I can get a job and an apartment and a friend, maybe, if you say that you can help my son because if you can’t … I don’t know what to do.” There’s so much hope in her eyes as she looks up at him, giving him a shaky smile after her plea that it breaks his heart. How can he say no? 

“How old is Mateo?”

“He’s six.” 

“What are his powers?” Olivia glances back at her sleeping son before she answers.   
“Uhm … he can turn invisible. But only when he’s scared right now and honestly, I’m not entirely sure but … I think he can mimic powers? And it drains that person of theirs.”

“How many times has that happened?”

“Twice. He was younger the first time so obviously he didn’t know what he was doing but … I’m pretty sure he knew the second time. He was strong for a minute and his dad was … weak.”

“So, your husband … he has super strength?”

“My...ex, yes.” It takes all of him not to ask further as she picks her words carefully, almost looking as if she wants to say more but thinks better of it. What circumstance could Mateo have possibly been in to willingly drain his father’s powers? 

“Ok.” He’s already formulating a plan in his head. He had to talk to the team. Both of them. Get Mateo assessed. Find them a place to stay. Stop staring at her lips. Wait. “I’m going to -”

“Does this mean ... you’ll help?”

“I’m going to do the best I can.” He says honestly, a small reassuring smile on his lips and before he can react she’s out of her chair and throwing her arms around him. He stills under her grasp before he settles his arms around her.

“You have no idea, Mr. Moreno, what this means to me, to us.” Olivia whispers, holding onto him tightly, for longer than she should before she pulls away and steps back. “Sorry. I didn’t mean - I’m a hugger, so - uh, anyway, I can pay. Eventually. I have some money, I promise I didn't just come here looking for a hand out but I’ll have to get a hotel room tonight and start looking for a job and an apartment. Not that it’s your problem or that you care but I do have money. So, whatever you guys need or charge I will be able to make it as soon as I find a job. It shouldn’t be too hard and once I get a steady income I can one-hundred percent pay whatever you guys decide on. ” She can feel herself rambling and wills herself to stop before he says her name so softly she thinks she might let the tears she’s been on the verge of since she walked in fall. 

“Olivia. I will talk to the team tomorrow. Well, today and we will figure something out. I promise. You’re safe here.” Her face falls as soon as the words leave his mouth before the shaky smile is back. Like she doesn’t believe him. “In the meantime, it’s late. It’ll be easier for you and Mateo to stay here. I’ll have a cot brought in and you can meet everyone tomorrow morning.” 

“Are you sure? We can go, Mr. Moreno.” She’s shaking her head and stepping towards her son before he stops her.

“Call me Marcus.” He says, struck by the sudden urge to hear his name on her lips. “And, of course I’m sure. I’m a hero, remember?” 

“Marcus …  _ thank you _ .” The smile that spreads across her lips is the first real one she’s given him since she’d entered his office and he takes her in, really, for the first time. She had said they’d been driving all day and she looks it. Exhausted, but determined. Short dark hair matches the dark eyes that still shine with tears she’d refused to shed. Strong. She’d need it if her son was as powerful as she says but he doesn’t think she’d be here if he wasn’t. The ratty pink sweater she’s wearing does nothing help him determine her age. If Mateo is six she’s at least mid-twenties, if not younger. She clears her throat and, to his horror, he realizes he’s been staring for longer than acceptable at the very least. She’s still smiling up at him, teasingly almost, and he chuckles awkwardly, his fingers moving to fix his glasses as he pushes off his desk. Olivia nods as he moves past her. Once they are safely ensconced in his office and he’d made sure she locked the door behind him, Marcus makes his way to the rooms that all of the Heroics have at their disposal. It’s two in the morning before he finally lays down, twisting his wedding ring around his finger absentmindedly - guiltily. It’s not like he hasn’t found anyone attractive since his wife’s death. Of course not. He dates. He’s a dater. Miracle Guy has set him up on a few of those dates. It’s different. He’s helping Olivia, he can’t  _ date  _ her. Not if she and her son need the help she is so sure that they do. Not if she won’t tell him whatever truth that he knows she’s keeping from him. Marcus sighs into the darkness and falls asleep wondering how soft the woman under that ratty sweater is already knowing he’ll never know anywhere but inside his mind.

**Author's Note:**

> Hiya ! So, this is my new passion project no one is super surprised lmao. I really loved We Can Be Heroes & fell in love with the premise & the kids & everything! I hope you enjoy this story & hopefully stick with it as I indulge in this fandom & my Pedro Simp Life. Kudos / Comment appreciated if you like & definitely let me know if you have any complaints !


End file.
